Home
by needham19
Summary: Stephanie Grimes is in Alabama with her grandparents when the outbreak occurs. This is her story on how she reunites with her mother, father and brother, and meets a group that becomes family. Mostly in my OC POV. Rated T for later chapters. Eventual Daryl/OC but that will be a LONG time coming. DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Walking Dead, just my OC.
1. Prologue

Hey guys! So this is my first fanfic ever and I of course had to do it for the Walking Dead! When I first started watching the show I thought it would be cool to see what would happen if Rick and Lori had a daughter. She is 18 years old when the outbreak occurs and she has to find her way back home to her family. I hope you guys like it! I don't own the Walking Dead, just my OC.

**Prologue**

"Grandma, are you watching the news? People are literally eating people. Grandma….? Grandpa? Hello is anyone home? HELLO?"

*hears moans*

"Grandma…OH MY GOD"

I look at my grandma and there is blood all over her face. I see my grandpa lying there dead on the ground. No no no no no this can't be happening! She looks like she is dead! Her eyes are a grayish color and her skin looks like it is rotted.

As I start running away I realize she has now noticed me. Crap, now what do I do? I run down into the kitchen and trying calling my mom. The phone is disconnected. I run into the living room where my cell phone is located. I try again but the same thing happens. I go to call my dad, 'crap, he is in a coma what help will that do?' I hear someone fall. I realize my grandma is right behind me. Her teeth come chomping down and she just misses my arm. I run back into the kitchen and try to come up with a plan.

"Okay so that is obviously not my grandma. Come on Steph, think what would daddy do in this situation."

I keep mumbling the word "think" again and again. Suddenly the light bulb goes off. I see my grandma start limping into the room and I open the bathroom door. I run around behind her and push her in. She staggers into the bathroom and falls to the ground. I close the door quickly and go grab the kitchen table. Silently flipping it over, I push it up against the door. I wait a few minutes to see if she would be able to get out and I realize she can't. I run back upstairs to my grandparent's room to see that my grandpa has also reanimated. I quickly close the door to their room and lock it through the outside. I quickly run to my room and pack up some of my things. After everything is packed I run outside and put it all in my car. I come back inside one more time and grab my phone. I try calling my mom one more time but it is no use. It just isn't working. I run back out to my car. "Well I guess I'm going to have to find my family on my own." I start my car, gearing up to make the long trek from Alabama all the way back to Georgia. As I pull out of the driveway I look back. My grandparents just turned into flesh eating freaks right before my eyes, and I'm quite concerned to say the least. The whole drive I am just praying that my parents and little brother didn't turn into those things. Two days later and I'm finally back in Georgia. "Well, I guess this I where my mission begins."

My name is Stephanie Ann Grimes, and this is my story.


	2. Chapter 1

Okay here is the first chapter of my story Home. Please review this is my first fanfic ever so feedback would be much appreciated!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own The Walking Dead, just my OC.

Ch1.

All I want to do is hug my mom. Before I went to stay with my grandparent's we had gotten into the worst argument. About what you ask? College. And now it doesn't even matter. The world has gone to shit and I probably won't be getting a college degree.

My car had run out of gas so and I didn't see any gas stations around so I had to ditch it. I started heading through the woods. I left Alabama a week ago and no sign of anything living anywhere. Just the dead. I have been keeping hope alive though. Every morning I say, "Buck up Steph, you have a family to find."

Right when I arrived in Georgia I went straight home. The first thing I noticed when I walked inside my childhood home (aside from no one answering me when I called out for them) is that all of the pictures were gone. I went into my parent's room and found that all of my mom's clothes were gone. I ran into Carl's room and found the same thing. So I went into my room. I packed a bag with some of my clothing, my toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, and my family photo. Then, I proceeded to go to the safe that I kept under my bed and unlock it. "Yes, it's still here." I pulled my berretta that my dad had gotten me for my 18th birthday and tucked it safely into my jeans. I walked outside and took one more look at my house, sighed, and started walking.

That was five days ago. I'm now trudging through the woods all alone and I am a bit freaked out. I don't know what is in the woods. I've never been much of a woodsy person. Ya I liked the outdoors, but not the woods. They just creeped me out. I go back to the last memory I have in the woods.

_*flashback*_

"_Daddy, Mommy, look! It's a deer!"_

"_Yes sweetie it is! Isn't it beautiful?"_

"_Yes mommy it is. Hey daddy, can we get a pet deer?"_

"_I don't think so sweetheart, deers aren't supposed to be pets. They like being in the woods more."_

_I started walking towards the deer, careful not to scare it off. I got so close that I could almost touch it. Right then I heard a loud BAM and I saw the deer run off. My dad quickly ran over to me and picked me up in his arms and started running. When we got back to the house I was terrified. My dad said that it was okay there was just somebody hunting in the woods. I just looked at him and nodded and we all proceeded back into the house where my brother Carl was waiting for us. _

_*end of flashback*_

Ya so I just don't like the woods. I break away from my thoughts as I hear someone break a twig behind me.

"Turn around slowly." I hear the husky southern accent say behind me. I start to turn around when I hear another voice.

"Oh Darlena, what have we stumbled upon. Hi there sugar tits, aren't you a sweet lil' thing."

Right when he said sugar tits is when I knew that he was most definitely bad news. Okay, I can start panicking now.

"Shut up Merle she is just a kid. Now stop with the comments before I put an arrow through your skull."

Okay, I kind of like him.

"Okay kid, now I'm not gunna hurt ya unless you try anything stupid. Just put your gun down on the ground or I'll be forced ta feed ya to the walkers."

Okay wait a minute, walkers? Is that what they call these things. Weird.

"Are you alone?" I do not hesitate to answer Darlena's question.

"Yes I am alone."

"Any more weapons on ya?"

"The only weapon I have is the one in your hands."

Darlena grunted, "Alright kid, you're coming with us." He proceeded to grab my wrist with much force.

"Okay ease up there Prince Charming. With that much force you'll break my wrist."

"Mmm Sorry."

"Ya, whatever jackass."

We get back to his camp and him and his pal, Merle I assume, bring me up to an old RV.

"Hey kid, this here is Dale. He'll watch over ya while we go get Shane, he is sort of the leader. He'll decide what to do with ya."

"Okay first off, I'm not a kid, I'm a legal adult. Second, I don't need a babysitter. Third my name is Stephanie, Stephanie Grimes."

"Wait Grimes? You said Grimes?" the old man in the fisherman's hat asked.

"Yes Grimes. Does that appear to be a probl-"

"Oh my god, Stephanie?!"

I stop mid-sentence because I recognize that voice from anywhere. I turn around and look at the woman standing a few feet in front of me. There are tears in her eyes and some start to form in mine. I see a little boy come out from behind her legs and that's when I start crying. No, not crying, sobbing.

"MOM! CARL!"


	3. Chapter 2

Sorry this is a really short chapter. I am trying to make them longer.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own The Walking Dead. Just my OC

CH2.

I can't believe it, I finally found them. If this is a dream it's the best damn dream I have ever had. I have never been happier than I am in this moment. I look around and realize that everyone is staring at us, all of them smiling; even my little Prince Charming has a slight grin on his face. I run up to them and just starts sobbing into their shirts. I look at my mom and Carl and I am instantly filled with happiness, except for one thing..

"Wait, Mom where is Dad?"

She looks down at the ground and Carl starts to cry tears of sadness, not happy tears.

"No, he's, he's.."

"Dead." A voice from behind me says. "He is dead, I'm so sorry Stephie."

Wait hold up, how does this man know my name? And why does he sound so familiar..

"Shane?"

"Hey there angel. Glad to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too." I proceed to give him a hug. Shane isn't related to us by blood, but he sure is family.

Later that night everyone is gathered around the campfire. My mom is brushing through my hair and Carl is sitting right next to me. Now I know my dad isn't here but I'm still so damn happy. I even have Shane here. I can't help but notice the weird glances my mom and Shane have been giving each other, but I figure that it's nothing and just brush it off.

"So Steph, what happened to you when the world went to shit?" a blonde haired woman asked me. I had found out earlier that her name is Andrea. She is here with her little sister Amy. They are both really nice and they welcomed me right away.

"Oh well I was with my grandparents in Alabama and I.."

"Woah, you traveled here all by yourself from Alabama? Aren't you like sixteen years old? Do you even know how to drive?"

"Uh yes I did travel here by myself, and no I'm eighteen and yes I do know how to drive." I replied kind of snarky and I instantly felt bad for giving him such attitude.

The man who goes by the name of T-Dog just kind of looked at me and smiled.

I then proceeded to tell them of how my grandparent's turned and how I locked them into rooms. When I finished I looked up at mom and noticed that she was crying again. Oops.

Later, everyone started to become tired and took off to their respective tents. The Asian man who calls himself Glenn retreated to his spot on top of the RV. He was on watch tonight. Mom showed me where our tent was and I lay down. I looked to my right and my mom was there and looked behind her and Carl was already fast asleep.

"Goodnight Stephie, I love you."

"Goodnight mom, I love you too."

And for the first time since this whole ordeal started, I felt safe. I closed my eyes, and sleep overcame me.


	4. Chapter 3

Ch3.

A few weeks have gone by since I have been reunited with my mom and Carl. I learned that my Prince Charming goes by the name of Daryl Dixon. I want to contribute more to the group than doing laundry and preparing meals so when Glenn comes back from one of his runs with a crossbow, I quickly go to snatch it up. I asked Daryl that if my momma said yes if he would teach me how to hunt. Surprisingly he agreed. I ask momma if it is okay for Daryl to teach my how to hunt. I was even more surprised that she said yes. So I have been learning how to shoot a crossbow and tomorrow Daryl and I leave for a hunt. It is my first one and I am both excited and nervous. All I want to do is prove to this group that I can do more than just do laundry and cook. Also this crossbow will help me defend myself. With Daryl as my teacher I have become a pretty good shot.

That same day we leave for our hunt Glenn is taking a small group with him to Atlanta to gather supplies. Right as we are about to go on our hunt I run up to my mom Carl and Shane. My mom and Shane have become really close to a point where I am a bit creeped out but I'll just mind my business. As I say my goodbyes I look over at Daryl and Merle's interaction.

"Try to come back in one piece baby brother."

"Same goes to you man."

"Oh and Darlena, take care of the little princess while you are out there."

"Shut up Merle."

I still don't exactly like Merle. He would always make gross sexual comments and he was very inappropriate. The word that comes to mind when you say the name Merle Dixon is douche. He was part of the group that was going with Glenn to Atlanta. Even though I hate Merle I hope he comes back alive, for Daryl's sake. I look up to Daryl and he gives me a slight nod and that tells me he is ready. I turn around and give mom and Carl a wave goodbye, and then we disappear into the woods.

It has been 3 hours already and we have only caught two squirrels. Daryl had been quiet the whole time. The silence was beginning to eat away at me so I decided that it was time to break it.

"So Daryl, what did you do before the world went to shit?"

"Mmm none of yer concern."

"What? I am just trying to make conversation."

"Well why don't ya just keep yer mouth shut."

"Aye aye captain."

We walked in silence for the rest of the night. We made camp in a small little cabin. We triple checked to make sure there were no walkers in it. When we knew it was safe we went in and locked all of the doors and windows. There was only one bed. Of course there was only one bed, because why the hell not.

"Uh, Steph you can take the bed I'll just sleep on the ground."

"Daryl, there is more than enough room on the bed. We can sleep on opposite sides of the bed, I won't bite I promise." I smirked at him and he just sighed and nodded.

I looked over to my left and saw Daryl fidgeting around a little bit. 'damn, has he never shared a bed with a woman before.' I chuckled at the thought. I closed my eyes and sleep overcame me.

It was the middle of the night when I was suddenly jolted awake. I looked up expecting to see Daryl but all I saw was a man with breath so gross I could have vomited right there. I looked over to the left to see Daryl there, and still asleep. Man this guy was not a light sleeper. There was another man holding Daryl at gunpoint and put a finger over his mouth and stared at me. Obviously he was going to kill him if I made so much as a peep. The guy that was over me looked at me and motioned for me to get up. I tried to get up as quietly as I could but not quiet enough so Daryl would start to stir. I perfected it. He started to wake up and when he fully did I just looked at him with pleading eyes. Right when he saw the man with the gun pointed towards him he went into attack mode. He eyed the man next to me. His glare was so deadly it could kill on spot. Man if only looks could kill, that would come in handy at this point in time. The man motioned for me to leave the cabin. I started to walk out the door. I took one last glance toward Daryl and I could have sworn for just a second that I saw a look of rage and worry. I just stared ta him with my unshed tears still in my eyes and proceeded out the doorway. He pushed me up into the tree and started feeling around my stomach.

"Hey sweetheart, if you cooperate we will let you and your little boyfriend out alive, you got it?"

All I did was just stare at him. I felt to defenseless and his hands just kept roaming my body. Before he could do anything drastic I heard a loud gunshot.

"No Daryl!" I started panicking when I didn't know if Daryl had been shot or not. I started to struggle against the man that had me pinned against the tree but it was no use. My one hundred and ten pound frame was no match for his two hundred and fifty pound frame. All I did was blink and I felt the weight of his body off of me. I opened my eyes and realized that Daryl had killed him.

All we do is stare at each other for a moment. He looks like he is about to say something and all I manage to say is,

"We cannot tell my mom about this. Do you hear me? She cannot know!"

He nodded his head in agreement and then I start to let some of my tears fall. I just walk right past him and back into the cabin. Right at the doorway I see the man's dead body. I go to the bed and just sit on it for a minute. I look and saw that Daryl was taking his body outside. When I hear him come back in I lie down on the bed and try to go back to sleep. It isn't really working and I let out a quiet sob. Very quickly after I feel an arm wrap around me and I see Daryl looking down at me. He looks at me and just gives me a gentle kiss on top of my head. I fall back to sleep in his arms.

I had been two more days since the incident. Daryl and I have just made some small talk about how our lives were like before everything happened. Not one word was spoken about what had happened in the cabin a few nights ago. Steph could tell that they were almost back to camp and she felt herself getting worked up.

"Uh Daryl, I'm gunna go to the bathroom, can you just tell my mom that I'll be there in a minute?"

"Yah sure, and Steph, if you need to talk about it, just let me know."

"Thanks Daryl."

He steps out of the bushes and I hear him start to curse. I don't know what about but I just let it slide. I then hear his yell to my mom "relax she is taking a piss". Wow real nice Daryl. I start out of the woods and notice the deer all gnawed on and then a dead walker with no head next to it. I silently curse and start walking back to camp. As I get closer I hear Daryl yelling about something. Crap he is yelling about Merle. Merle is gone. I then hear Daryl starting to talk again.

"So you are the dick who handcuffed my brudder to a roof. And what do they call you dumbass?!"

I step out of the woods and look at the man Daryl is yelling at. Holy shit.

"Daddy!?"


	5. Chapter 4

Another Chapter! Please Review!

Sorry it took so long. I've been quite busy.

Ch4.

"Hey there my little angel, I've missed you!" the man who looks and sounds exactly like my father says.

Wait a minute. Is that really him? Or is my mind playing tricks on me, because that would totally suck..

"You- you're alive?"

"Well it's good to see you too baby girl"

"Oh my god, daddy it really is you!"

I run up to my Dad and the tears are really going now. I know that this world is really grim, but I have been having some good luck. I have found my family. I honestly feel on top of the world right now.

"Aw daddy I thought you were dead! I can't believe it's really you!"

"I know sweetheart, it's really me."

"Great, so the man than handcuffed my brudder to a roof is your dad?"

"Wait dad, you handcuffed Merle to a roof? Why?"

"I did it because he was putting us in danger." He looked straight at Daryl when he said that.

"Yah he really wasn't being a team player." Glenn mumbles as he looks to my dad and Daryl.

"I'm gunna go back and get him." My dad said looking straight at Daryl when he said that.

"Wait a minute, what? You are going back to get Merle Dixon?! But Dad, you just got here! I just got my dad back and you're leaving? You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

"Stephanie watch your mou-"

"No Dad, I will not watch my mouth! You are telling me that you are leaving, to go get Merle Dixon, who is sort of a douchebag by the way, and you are leaving your family behind!"

"Yo Grimes, why don't ya watch what youre sayin'"

"Nope Daryl, I meant douchebag. "

"Stephanie, I can't just leave him there. He didn't deserve it.."

"Yah and I don't deserve to get my dad back one minute, and the next minute he is off disappearing to go play hero!"

After I said that I just walked away from him. How could he do that! He just got back and now he was leaving again! I don't think I have ever been this angry. And I don't think I am the only one. Momma seems to fuming too, as does Shane.

After cooling down for a while, I saw my dad off. I gave him a hug and said if he didn't come back again I'd kill him. He was taking Daryl (of course) Glenn, and T-dog. I baffled me why all of our man power was going down to Atlanta to save an ass like Merle Dixon, but I didn't question it.

A little later I was going to go and help Amy, Andrea, Jacquie and Carol with the laundry, when I saw Carl come down from the quarry with a scowl on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said mom got pissed at Shane for taking him to go get frogs. I was a little confused considering she said he could go catch frogs with Shane at some point the other day. I went to go ask her why she was being so mean to him when I heard her arguing with Shane..

"Lori, could you just wait up a sec, we should talk…"

"No no, that's over too you can tell that to the frogs."

"Look, Lori, I don't know how this appears to you bu-"

"How it appears to you? I'm sorry is there a gray area here? You listen to me. Stay away from me, stay away from Rick, and stay away from Steph and Carl. You don't talk to them, look at them nothing, from now on my family is off limits to you."

"Lori, I don't think that's fair.."

"Shane shut up! My husband is back and he is alive!"

"Lori do you not think I am happy about that?"

"Why would you be you told me he was dead!"

Oh my god. All of the weird stares, the way she acted toward Shane when daddy got back…two plus two is four. Son of a bitch.

"You guys slept together! Are you fucking kidding me! DAD HAD ONLY BEEN GONE WHAT A MONTH, TWO MONTHS, AND YOU SLEPT TOGETHER!"

"Stephanie, oh my goo- Steph baby please don't walk away from me let me explain-"

"Explain, EXPLAIN? How can you explain sleeping with Dads best friend only a week after Shane lied to us saying he was dead. A week mom! A fucking week! Have you no self-control it's pathetic. I seriously can't stand to look at either of you right now."

She tries talking to me but I'm so disgusted by both of them I just walk away. I can't even stand to look at them I am so angry. I go and grab my laundry and walk over to where everyone else is doing laundry. I see Ed standing over Carol watching her every move.

"Great the abusive asshole is here to make sure his clothes are nice and clean." I mumbled under my breathe.

I sat next to Amy and she saw that I was really angry.

"Hey, Steph? You okay you seem angry?"

"I'm fine Amy just some family problems is all."

She smiled at me and we all went back to work. We were silent for a while but then I saw Andrea getting pissed off. Quite frankly, I was too but I just kept it to myself. She stood up and started talking to Ed. Here we go.

"Hey Ed why don't ya help us?"

"Naw girl, that's your job."

"And what's your job Ed, standing around smoking cigarettes all day?" ugh so true. The bastard did nothing.

"Hey don't think I won't knock you on your ass, just because you are some college educated coos. Come on girl, it's time to go." He starts to grab Carol's arm and yank her up.

"Why, so she can show up with fresh bruises tomorrow Ed? We've seen them." Another valid point made by Jacqui.

He starts to laugh.

We try to get Carol to not go with him and he ends up getting angrier. He starts yanking her harder and that's when all of the anger I had built up inside of me from my dad leaving to go save some jackass, and finding out what my mom and Shane did together unfolded.

"YOU ABUSIVE BASTARD!" and I send a right hook right into his face. Put all my power and anger behind that one and I made that fat ass stumble. I call that a win.

"You dumb bitch!" It looks like he is about to slap me but he sees Carol trying to calm him down and he whacks her instead. That's when we all lose it and start to hit him while Amy took Carol away from him. That's when Shane comes over and starts bashing on him. Shane just kept going at it and going at him and for the first ten or so punches I was cheering him on (silently of course. I'm still pissed at him after sleeping with my mother and all that jazz.) but after about fifteen punches we all try and get him off of Ed. We all tell him to stop. He mumbles something to Ed and then gives him a nice kick to the gut and he has finally finished. Carol goes to lean next to him and I just stare at Shane, and he returns the gaze. I roll my eyes at him and walk away.

Later that night I go and ask Amy if it would be okay if I slept in her tent with her and Andrea. They thankfully both agreed to it. When I first got here I became the closest with them. They were probably the nicest people I met there and I knew they wouldn't question me on why I was sleeping in their tent. Mom was upset that I wouldn't talk to her and Carl was confused on why I wasn't sleeping in our tent that night. I just told him I was having a sleepover with Amy and Andrea and that if he needed anything to just come and get me. Carl was the one person I loved more than anything in the world and it pained me to leave him in there with just our mom, but I just couldn't even look at her.

The next morning I thought my dad would be back but he wasn't back yet. The morning was going as planned and nothing seemed out of the ordinary until Dale pointed out Jim. He was just up on a hill digging a bunch of holes. When we asked him about it he said he didn't remember but that he just had to dig them. Shane tied him up to a tree so he would rest. He stayed like that for the rest of the day until night time. We were all gathered around a campfire eating and talking. I was sitting between Amy and Carl.

"Amy, where are you going?" Andrea asked. I get why she is so concerned. Amy is her younger sister. I'm like that with Carl all of the time.

"I'm going to the bathroom. Man you try to be discrete around here." We all started to laugh.

We kept on laughing and then I heard Amy yell from the RV.

"Hey, were out of toilet paper?"

That's when it happened. Right after she said that I heard a blood curdling cry. I turned around to see Amy being ripped apart by a walker. I started to panic as everyone else in the camp started to scream. All I did was throw myself on top of Carl to keep any walkers away from him. Shane yells at Carl my mom and I to get behind him. Shane looks at me and hands me a shotgun.

"You think you can shoot this?"

I just look up at him and nod. I start shooting walkers in the brain as I simultaneously watch people in my group to get torn to pieces. All of a sudden it stops. The walkers are all dead. I see my dad walking up and I run right into his arms. I have never been so happy to see him. As my family was hugging I suddenly remembered Amy being bit. I turn around and see Andrea over Amy's body. I slowly walk over to them and realize she is dead. Amy is dead. Andrea's sobs fill the air and I just fall to my knees and start to cry. Momma comes up and wraps her arms round me and cries with me. The last person I hear talking is Jim.

"I remember now. I remember why I dug the holes."


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Sorry it took long to update but I am starting to lose my motivation for this story. I NEED you guys to tell me if it is worth my time and effort to continue this. I would really like to but I won't if I don't get feedback.**

**Ch5.**

We buried our dead today. After we buried them we found out Jim had been bit. Everyone is trying to decide what to do now. It just sucks ya know. The other day everything was going fine and now we just lost so many people. Shane thinks we should try for Fort Benning and Dad thinks we should go to the CDC.

After much debate it is decided that we are going to the CDC. On the way we leave Jim. The transition was hurting him and the drive was making it much worse. It's sad I like Jim, granted he was a little weird but I still liked him.

When we got there, there were walkers everywhere. Some still up and kickin' and some just rotting away. The place looked completely deserted to say the least. We were convinced that there was nobody in there. We were about to give up and turn back around when my dad said he saw the camera move. I mean I could have sworn he was delusional but when the doors opened and there was a really bright light I knew he wasn't that crazy.

We walked in and were greeted by a man who called himself Edwin Jenner. He told us the only thing we had to do was submit to a blood test. I mean sure why not. After he took Andrea's blood, he offered us some food. He then proceeded to say there were showers but not to use up all of the hot water. Holy crap, did he just say hot water?

After I took my shower I walked down to the rec room to see if there were any books. I saw Carol walking out with Carl and Sophia. I stopped to say goodnight to Carl and headed back down towards the rec room. Right when I got there I heard two voices. They were my moms and Shane's.

"I had you and Carl to think about and I had to get you guys out of there."

"No Shane stop."

"No you stop it, if you thought for one second that he was still there would you have come? Ya, so I saved your life, you and your little boy. Okay and if I could have traded places with him, I would have, I would. I would trade places with him right now."

"No Shane stop you're drunk."

"No no no, I love you, and I know you have feelings for me too because you would not have been with me the way you were if you hadn't."

After that all I hear are my mom's muffled cries and I break into the room to see Shane assulting my mom. I run up and grab him, just as my mom scratches his neck. He turns around and looks at me with a shocked expression in his eyes.

"You, you sick bastard, you stay away from my momma or you're gunna regret it. Stay away from my momma, stay away from me, and don't you fucking dare go near Carl. You are dead to me. Now get the fuck out of here."

Shane just keeps looking at me shocked. I have never seen him like this. It was like he was dead inside. There was no light in his eyes, no hope. He just backed away and walked out of the room and slammed the door on the way out because Shane Walsh loves to make a dramatic exit. I turn back to my mom and see the tears welling in her eyes. I run right up to her and start to hug her. She starts sobbing on my shoulder. I have never seen my mom like this.

"Honey, you cannot tell your father about this. Please don't tell him."

Her eyes were filled with sadness and guilt. All the anger I felt toward her disappeared with that one look.

"Mom I won't I promise."

"Thank you baby."

"I love you Mom."

"I love you my sweet Steph."

The next morning I walked into the kitchen and sat down next to my mom and Carl. I saw my dad come walking in and he sat next to us. Momma gave him a box of pain killers.

"Mom said you would be hungover" I choke on my eggs and start to laugh when Carl says that to my dad.

"Well your mother is right."

Just as my dad said that Shane walked in. I don't think the face of someone has ever made me as angry as Shane's face makes me at this moment.

"Hey dude what did you do scratch your face in your sleep?"

My mom looks down.

Daddy ads, "Ya I've never seen you do that before."

"Ya that is definitely not me."

I let out a small chuckle.

"Ya Shane that is so weird. Hopefully you don't make a habit out of it, or else you'll have cuts all over you're face. You definitely won't get any with a cut up face that's for sure." I chime in.

My mom then proceeds to choke on her eggs while the rest of the group just stares at me with their jaws dropped. Daryl of course lets out a chuckle and I just shrug. Just as my dad is about to save something I am saved by the bell, well not really a bell, but Andrea.

"Hey Jenner, we are not here for the eggs. What went on here?"

He brings us down to the lab and starts explaining all of this techy stuff and I'm just completely lost.  
Literally, I have no clue what he is saying. I mean I'm smart, but not technology wise.

"Uh, I don't mean to interrupt, but what happens when that clock counts down to zero?" Dale asks.

Jenner then asks the computer to tell us what happens. At the end of that whole speech, I Understand that it means the air is literally going to catch on fire, and we will be dead in a matter of seconds.

Perfect. Just fucking perfect.

Everyone is trying to convince him to let us go. Hell, I am trying to convince him too. Daryl and Shane are trying to break open the doors, which is fucking useless, Jenner even said so himself. Finally I had enough.

"You know, if the world hadn't been like this, this would be considered murder."

Everyone is quiet and turns to me.

"But wouldn't everything be easier this way?" Jenner speaks out.

"No, because this is our choice. We are choosing to go out there and try our luck on the road. We want to live. I know for a fact that I want to live. If you take this choice away from us it is considered murder. And you have the blood of all of us on your hands."

Everyone looks to me and my parents stare at me with a tear in their eyes. I don't know if it is sadness or pride. No idea, but whatever it is, I sure as hell hope it gets us out of this mess. Jenner is still pondering what I said then he finally opens the door.

"You'll have to figure out a way to break through the windows."

"Thank you." I whisper. I run to my mom and Carl and start to leave. I then hear Jacqui say that she is staying. Along with Andrea, and Dale won't leave Andrea. Jenner is saying something to my dad but I'm not going to ask about it now I think I would rather leave. We make our way out and try to break through the windows. Carol then hands my dad a grenade. No clue where she got that but I guess I'll just roll with it. The windows break open. Free. We are free. We have made our way to the RV. We are getting ready to leave when we see Andrea and Dale running out. Mom then yells for them to get down. We all take cover in the RV and see the CDC go up in flames. We all start to drive away leaving behind the CDC and also leaving behind yet another group member.

We love you Jacqui.


End file.
